1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a process and a mold for producing a multilayer molded article comprising a resin body and at least one sheet of a skin material which covers a part of a surface area of the resin body.
2. Description of the Related Art
A multilayer molded article comprising a resin body and a skin material laminated on the resin body has good appearance due to its high quality and warm feeling. The multilayer molded article greatly improves the textures of a resin molded article, such as providing for a cool feeling and provides an article with high value and beauty.
In fact, the multilayer molded articles are widely used as automobile interior materials or furnishing materials.
To improve the ornamental effect of the skin of a multilayer molded article, it is desired to laminate the skin material on a part of the surface of the resin body. However, the conventional processes or molds for producing the multilayer molded article cannot produce such an improved multilayer molded article. The free edge of the skin material covering a part of the surface of the resin body cannot be beautifully finished.
One object of the present invention is to provide a process for producing a multilayer molded article comprising a resin body and a skin material which covers a part of the surface of the resin body.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a mold suitable for producing a multilayer molded article comprising a resin body and a skin material which covers a part of the surface of the resin body.
According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a process for producing a multilayer molded article comprising a resin body and a skin material which covers a part of the surface of the resin body so that an edge part of the skin material present on the surface of the resin body is placed in a groove formed on the surface of the resin body, which process comprising steps of:
providing an unclosed mold comprising a lower mold having at least one pin for fixing the edge part of the skin material at a position where the edge part of the skin material is placed and an upper mold having a kick for forming the groove,
placing the skin material on the lower mold and fixing the edge part of the skin material with the pin,
supplying a mass of resin melt between the skin material and the lower mold, and closing the upper and lower molds to form the multilayer molded article.
According to a second aspect of the present invention, there is provided a mold for producing a multilayer molded article comprising a resin body and a skin material which covers a part of the surface of the resin body so that an edge part of the skin material present on the surface of the resin body is placed in a groove formed on the surface of the resin body, which mold comprises a lower mold having at least one pin for fixing the edge part of the skin material at a position where the edge part of the skin material is placed and an upper mold having a kick for forming the groove on the surface of the resin body.